A Winner's Logic
by CHPrime
Summary: Aizen, in conference with Kyouka Suigetsu, decides that the child who stands opposed to him is far to unwieldy, and sets forth his most trusted agent to elucidate the young man of his place in the world before Ichigo does something he will regret.


All works used belong to their respective owners.

* * *

Komamura's hand steadied Tensa Zangetsu in Ichigo's trembling hand.

"Provocation is his stock and trade. Do not let yourself fall into his twisted games." The captain's voice was resolute. More then Ichgo's had been in since Ulquiorra. There was a flash of movement, and Ichigo's eyes instinctively darted between the shapes flashing into place all around him.

"We will not let you see Aizen's Shikai!" Komamura hand slid off of Tensa Zangetsu, fluidly moving his body in front of Ichigo. Toshiro spoke next.

"Ichigo, we will all fight to protect you." Toshiro's eyes were firm and unwavering. The captain of squad ten's gaze did not blink as they stared into...an empty...horizon...

Ichigo's eyes widened. "Aizen's on the move! We've got to-to-"

His voice faltered as his comrades failed to react. Shinji went on as if Ichigo had not said a word. Kyouraku quietly moved away from the rest of the group, circling an enemy that was not there. Toshiro's voice projected out to an unseen audience.

"They think I am speaking to them. I wanted to resume our conversation, without interruption." Aizen's calm voice smoothly rolled over Ichigo's ear.

Ichigo jumped back, turning to face the man. Ichigo raised Tensa Zangetsu, ready to close the meters separating them now and strike. Aizen responded by raising his hand to signal peace.

"I know my flair for the dramatic makes it a bit difficult, but-"

"Bastard..." Ichigo growled out. Aizen's ever present smile rose fractionally.

"Ichigo-kun, I do wish to finish our little chat. I even promise not to hurt any of your allies, and even allow them some time to right themselves once this hypnosis ends."

Ichigo's grip tightened. "...You never weren't using Kyōka Suigetsu..."

"That is correct, Ichigo-kun. You do not need to fear being caught in my absolute hypnosis."

Ichigo let out a breath, eye's slowly shifting between Rose and Komamura, both unaware that Aizen could cut both of them down in a single moment. "Sheathe your sword. Then we talk."

Aizen let out a small huff of laughter as he sheathed his blade without any trace of hurry. "Of course, Ichigo-kun."

"Alright, I'll start us off." Ichigo let Tensa Zangetsu slowly fall to his side. "Why the hell are you calling me 'kun'?"

"I believe it appropriate in describing our current relationship, of course."

It was just like Komamura had said, then. Provocation. Ichigo couldn't let something as minor slip him up.

"Well, you wanted to talk, so talk. What yarn are you gonna spin to me now?" Toshiro and Kyouraku had jumped forward, striking at a phantom. the rest were soon to follow. At very least, it would give Ichigo time to intercept whatever Aizen had planned for them after this stupid detour. More importantly, it would keep everyone out of Aizen's sword arm, if the bastard kept his word.

"As we all were coming to this final juncture in the battle between Urahara Kisuke and myself, I thought it only fair to tell you your place in it."

"Urahara...and you?' Ichigo's brow rose. "The hell are you talking about? Sure hat-and-clogs is fighting you, but so are the Visords, and all of of Soul Society. What makes Urahara so special?"

"That is true. Several factions fight against me. The difference is that Urahara and I have been fighting since I began this struggle. The rest of soul society has only just become aware of this conflict. More importantly, Urahara is the only rogue variable among them, as he has always been."

"Your telling me this, and I'm not seeing much of a point to it all." Lisa had finally joined the melee against a phantom a hundred meters away. It was just Ichigo and Aizen now.

"So impatient. Do you think now that your allies have left, our conversation has to end?" Aizen's voice gained a slightly teasing tone. Like the man was a teacher telling Ichigo that a 99 was still an exceptional score on a written test.

"How do you even keep track of all that chaos over there?" Ichigo asked, not expecting an answer. Toshiro had entered bankai, and Soi-Fon seemed to be doing her damndest to keep whatever it was they all were seeing from moving, while everyone else were staggering their attacks from all angles.

"It's quite easy when you have two minds." Aizen answered as Ichigo's eyes shot back to the man. "Kyōka Suigetsu it quite capable of conducting this while we talk. I admit, my blade's insight is the only reason we are having this conversation."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo began to readjust his grip.

"Kyōka Suigetsu was kind enough to remind me of your plight- you are just a pawn on a much larger board, incapable of understanding it's place there, just that it must move. You are, after all, only a child, even in the human understanding of the term."

Ichigo's blood boiled. The nerve of this guy, saying that he controls everything. So what if he wanted Ichigo to knock his front door down. All of his friends had survived, and Aizen just lost every Espada that got in their way. "Rescuing Orihime was all the motivation I needed. I don't care if your trying to 'make me hate you' or something pointless like that. The fact remains that you kidnapped my friend, killed who knows how many people, and are planning to kill thousands more, including my family. Just say the word, and I'll cave your face in for you."

Aizen's polite grin morphed into a full fledged smile at this. "It is good to see you try to regain your confidence, Ichigo-kun. But I must correct you on several points- I have no intention of hurting Karin or Yuzu-chan. As for your friends, I-"

Aizen turned his gaze to look at the battle raging on. The man's hand fell onto his blade as he prepared to draw it. Ichigo didn't make the mistake of letting his eyes wander off of Aizen this time.

"It seems that this fight is becoming a bit too complicated to conduct while hiding my power, i must admit." Aizen's attention returned to Ichigo as Daiguren Hyourinmaru leveled a block of buildings. "It's time to cut this short."

"So your finally done with this pointless conversation, then?" Ichigo readied himself as Aizen languidly drew his blade.

"Oh no, Ichigo-kun. We very much plan to continue." Aizen readied Kyōka Suigetsu in his hand, the blade pointing downward. "We just plan to switch who is doing the talking. Shatter, Kyōka Suigetsu."

Ichigo reeled back in horror. Aizen chuckled.

"Do not worry, Ichigo-kun. You are not under Kyōka Suigetsu's hypnosis. If you look to them, you will see that your allies have realized that they have been fighting dust in the wind."

Ichigo reached, and pulled down his Hollow mask. "Do you really think I'm stupid enough to take my eyes off you now that you've drawn your sword?"

"I would be disappointed if you were." Aizen's Spiritual pressure began to rise. "But we have already established that it does not matter where you look, you still cannot stop Kyōka Suigetsu."

Aizen's voice was as calm as ever, but his next words seemed to carry the weight of the world.

"Bankai. Kyōka Suigetsu: Kioku-kan no Yūrei."

With those words, Aizen's spiritual pressure bubbled up in a fraction of second, already to the level of Ulquiorra's first transformation, and Ichigo could sense that the man had plenty more left.

Steeling his grip, Ichigo rushed forward, ready to strike, but stopped in his tracks a moment later. Aizen had already closed the distance. Ichigo could see the man's sword arm extended outward.

Ichigo's eyes fell, and saw that Kyōka Suigetsu had pierced his heart. There wasn't any pain. He couldn't taste any blood in his mouth. There was an odd ringing in his ear, slowly growing louder. The sound wasn't Shinji's shouting, Ichigo knew that. The voice of his most recent mentor was slowly fading away in the distance. Ichigo could feel his eyes drooping as well. Aizen's soft voice was perfectly clear through it all.

"We will meet again, Ichigo-kun. Until then."

Darkness fell.

* * *

Ichigo blinked. "...Huh?"

Aizen was nowhere to be seen. The cityscape was barren. Numerous dark clouds floated above, ready to pour down at any moment, but the cement he stood on remained perfectly dry. The cityscape on it's side was unusual, but-

Oh, he was in his inner world.

How did that happen?

"Zangetsu!" Ichigo called out. "Old man, where are you?"

An unfamiliar young voice called out instead. "Ichigo!"

Turning to look, Ichigo saw a young man standing on a flagpole, no older then himself, wearing what looked like Zangetsu's cloak. "Who are you?" Ichigo asked.

A new voice responded, this one impossibly and disturbingly familiar. "Tensa Zangetsu, I imagine. This is actually the first time I'm meeting another Bankai spirit, but that's what I would guess."

Both Ichigo and Tensa Zangetsu's heads slowly turned to face the voice, Ichigo's eyes wide and Tensa Zangetsu's split between shock, hostility, and confusion. It belonged to a tall woman, standing in a lax and almost friendly posture. She wore a white Kimono, with blue river waves embroidered on the silk. On her face was a long lost smile and dark red hair Ichigo thought he would never see again. The woman slowly approached Ichigo, who could not find the strength to move.

"Ichigo...you have grown strong. I am so proud of you..." The woman said.

"I-but-" Ichigo sputtered and stopped, swallowing a lump in his throat. "It- this is a trick! Like with Grand Fisher, I know it!" Ichigo raised his sword, stopping the woman in her tracks.

"Yes...I suppose that's a fair assumption." The woman halted just before the end of Ichigo's blade. "I can give you nothing but my word that I am who I know I am." She slowly inched forward, putting a hand lightly on the blade's side. Slowly, she pushed the sword away from her path.

"I can only ask you to allow me this after years apart." A melancholy look spread to her face and her eyes held a silent plead that Ichigo found himself powerless to deny.

Slowly and tightly, she wrapped Ichigo in almost crushing hug. "I've missed you so terribly..."

Ichigo trembled. "It can't be you...you died, mom! you died!"

The face of Kurosaki Masaki brought Ichigo's eyes level to her own. Ichigo could see happy tears forming in her eyes. "Yet here I am, my son."

* * *

It's been years since I thought about Bleach- but peaking at Burn The Witch made me lapse into memory. Specifically, that idea that i came up with during the Deicide arc, over some perceived dissatisfaction with the arc. I never got to writing it, afraid that this Bankai idea would go like so many others- jossed out the door in the Thousand Year arc. but after I remembered it, the thought wouldn't go away.

In any case, i more or less going to be ignoring everything that happens after the Deicide arc- or maybe not, if you feel like interpreting it in such a way.

FAQ: Aizen's Bankai? Did you just slap some vaguely cool sounding name into google translate, not even check with anyone who knows anything about the language before throwing it in?

A: 1. Yes; 2. I don't have friends, much less any who know anything about Japanese; 3. So, please feel free to explain why it's a terrible name.


End file.
